Tobacco loading device



Feb. 15, 1966 w. s. WOOD TOBACCO LOADING DEVICE Z Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May '7, 1963 Feb. 15, 1966 w. 5. W000 TOBACCO LOADING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May '7, 1963 United States Patent Ofifice 3,235,053 Patented Feb. 15, 1966 3,235,653 TOBACCG LOADING DEVICE William S. Wood, 507 Forest Acres Drive, Tarboro, N.C. Filed May 7, 1963, Ser. No. 278,542 6 Claims. (Cl. 193-38) In a specific embodiment, this invention particularly relates to a novel device for loading heavy racks packed with tobacco leaves into a bulk tobacco curing barn. While the claimed device is particularly useful for this purpose it is contemplated that it may have other uses.

Historically, the tobacco industry has been largely dependent upon a series of manual operations from the time that the tobacco seeds are planted until the tobacco leaves are sold in warehouses. However, like the farming industry in general, the tobacco industry has been faced with a decreasing supply of labor to carry out the many manual operations which have heretofore been necessary. Accordingly, the tobacco industry has in recent years been devoting their attention to ways and means to mechanize as many of their operations as possible so as to decrease the amount of manual labor required. One of the things which the tobacco industry has experimented with is picking the ripe tobacco leaves and placing them in elongated racks so that there is formed a rather bulky rack of closely packed tobacco leaves weighing between 50 and 150 lbs. These packed racks of tobacco leaves are then suspended from pairs of tracks within a tobacco curing barn in side-by-side relationship. Heated air is then passed through the curing barn by forced convection (or other equivalent heating means) and the tobacco leaves in the rack dry out and are cured. Some very satisfactory results have been achieved by this method and it holds considerable promise of becoming a standardized operation on many large tobacco farms.

However, one of the problems with this system is that considerable physical effort is required in order to transfer the bulky and heavy racks full of packed tobacco leaves into the bulk tobacco curing barn. The bulk tobacco curing barn usually consists of two levels of trackways which are designed to receive opposite ends of the tobacco racks. However, since the tobacco racks do Weigh as much as 150 pounds or more, it is frequently difficult or impossible for one man to lift them up to the level needed to engage the ends thereof with the trackways in the curing barn. It is often even difficult for two men to do this job and it would be highly desirable to have a system whereby only one person would be required and the most preferably a person who would not even need to exert a great deal of strength.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a device which will facilitate the loading of heavy racks of packed tobacco leaves into a bulk curing barn. Another object is to provide a loading device for tobacco bulk curing barns which will enable a single worker to easily introduce a loaded rack of tobacco into a plurality of different trackways located within the bulk curing barn. A further object of the present invention is the provision of a sturdy, light-weight loading device, which :may be economically constructed to provide a durable, efiicient means for achieving the above objects.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will suggest themselevs or be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a loading device in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the loading device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentary side elevatio-n views of the switch portion of the loading device showing various positions for a tobacco rack being moved up the device;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view across line 5-5 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in FIGURES l and 2.

Considered from one aspect, the present invention relates to a device for facilitating the transfer and loading of heavy racks of packed tobacco leaves into a bulk tobacco curing barn which comprises in combination:

(a) a first pair of elongated slide members,

(h) each elongated slide member of said first pair consisting of front, back and intermediate sections,

(0) the front section of each elongated slide member of said first pair being higher above the ground than the back section, and the intermediate section being inclined so as to interconnect the front and back section of each slide member,

(d) said first pair of elongated slide members being laterally spaced with respect to each other by lateral spacing means so as to accommodate the maximum dimension of said heavy racks,

(e) a second pair of slide members of lesser length than said first pair of elongated slide members, but being positioned in the same vertical planes as the slide members of said first pair,

(f) vertical interconnecting members for substantially rigidly interconnecting those slide members which are in the same vertical planes,

(g) the back ends of said second pair of slide members terminating adjacent the intermediate section of said first pair of slide members,

(h) means for spacing the back ends of said second pair of slide members a sufiicient distance away from, but sufiiciently close to the slide member of the first pair immediately below it so that by applying a slight tilting action to a loaded tobacco rack, the tobacco rack can be slideably transferred from said first pair of slide members to said second pair of slide members,

(i) the front ends of said first pair of slide members being spaced away from the front ends of said second pair of slide members a distance corresponding to the distance between the vertically spaced upper and lower trackways in the curing bar-n which is to receive heavy racks of packed tobacco leaves,

(j) cross-over interconnecting members which interconnect the vertically aligned sets of slide members,

(k) ground support means for maintaining the first pair of members the desired distance above the ground,

(1) whereby when heavy racks of packed tobacco leaves are placed between the back ends of said first pair of elongated slide members, with the ends of said rack being supported by said first pair of elongated slide members, the rack may be easily slid forward onto either the upper or lower trackway of a curing barn by appropriate tilting of the rack during its forward sliding movement.

The invention more specifically (a) The drawings show a first pair of what can perhaps most aptly be referred to as elongated slide members it and 12. The precise length of these slide members is not critical and the cross section of the slide members can take different forms so long as at least one surface or edge is presented which can function to permit sliding over the length thereof, FIGURE 5 shows the cross section of slide member 10 to be generally L-shaped.

(b) Slide member It! can be considered as consisting of front section Ilia, intermediate section 1011 and back section and slide member 12 can be considered as consisting of front section 12a, intermediate section 12b and back section 120. The exact lengths of each of these sections is not critical and can be varied depending upon the particular loading operation for which the device is designed.

(c) In general, the front section (a or 12a) of each of said first pair of elongated slide members (10 or 12) should preferably be higher above the ground than the back section (10c or 120). The front and back sections are preferably horizontal or only slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal, whereas the intermediate section (1012 or 1222) is preferably more sharply inclined with respect to the horizontal so as to interconnect each front and back section. The front and back sections are preferably tangentially connected by the short arcuate ends of the intermediate section.

((1) The elongated slide members It) and 12 are laterally spaced with respect to each other by appropriate lateral spacing means. The lateral spacing between the elongated slide members is approximately the same as the width of the tobacco rack which is to slide thereon. The placement of the lateral spacing means must be such that there is no interference with the slidingmovement of a loaded rack over the elongated slide members. Two lateral spacing means are shown in the drawings, A first lateral spacing means 50 is shown as being U-shaped, the opposite upper ends of the U being attached (as by welding) to slide members 10 and 12 respectively. A second lateral spacing means 24 in the form of an inverted U connects together sections 10c and 120.

(e) A second pair of slide members of lesser length than said first pair of elongated slide members is positioned above said first pair of slide members and in the same vertical planes as said first pair of slide members. This second pair of slide members is shown as 14 and 16 in the drawings. Preferably all slide members are both parallel and horizontal.

(f) Vertical interconnecting members are provided for substantially rigidly interconnecting those slide members which are in the same vertical planes. There may be one or more vertical interconnecting members, and the placement thereof must be such that there is no interference with the sliding movement of a loaded rack over the elongated slide members. Vertical interconnecting member 22 is shown in the shape of an inverted U, the intermediate or upper side portions of the U being connected to the second pair of slide members 14 and 16, and the lower side portions of the U being connected to sections 10a and 12a. Additional vertical interconnecting members 56, 57, 18 and 19 are also shown.

(g) The back ends of the second pair of slide members 14 and 16 terminate at a point adjacent the intermediate section (10b and 12b) of said first pair of slide members. Members 18 and 19 regulate the clearance between the back ends of 14 and 16 and the intermediate sections 1012 and 1211 respectively.

(11) The back ends of said second pair of slide members 14 and 16 are spaced away from, but sufficiently close to the slide member (10 or 12) of the first pair immediately below it so that by applying a slight upward tilting action to a loaded tobacco rack the tobacco rack can be slideably transferred from said first pair of slide members (10 and 12) to said second pair of slide members (14 and 16). A tobacco rack of the type shown in copending application Serial Number 193,955 may be used, or any other suitable rack having laterally extending flanges which can rest on and engage the slide members.

(i) The front ends of said first pair of slide members 10 and 12 are spaced away from the front ends of said second pair of slide members 14 and 16 a distance corresponding to the distance between the vertically spaced upper and lower horizontal trackways in the curing barn which is to receive heavy racks of packed tobacco leaves. As previously mentioned members 56 and 57 provide this desired spacing.

(,i) At least one cross-over interconnecting member is provided to interconnect the vertically aligned sets of slide members. The upper part of U-shaped member 22 serves as such an interconnecting member,

(k) Ground support means are preferably provided for maintaining the first pair of slide members the desired distance above the ground. Such ground support means 38 and 39 are shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

(I) With the above construction, when heavy racks of packed tobacco leaves are placed between the back ends (10c and of said'firstpair of elongated slide members, with the opposite ends of said'rack being supported by said first pair of elongated slide members, the rack may be easily slid forward onto either the upper or lower rackway of a curing barn by appropriate tilting of the rack during its forward sliding movement.

Slide members ltland 12 are preferably provided with additional framework support members 42'and 44 and are attached thereto by means of attachment plates 46 and 48. Guide members 26 and 28, which may be constructed of sheet metal, are attached to slide members 10 and 12 and support members 42 and 44 to provide an entry guide for tobacco racks. As is illustrated in FIGURE 6, the guide members 26 and 28 are flared outwardly at the entrance end of the loader. In the embodiment shown in the drawings the slide members 10 and 12 also diverge slightly at'the entrance end of the loader.

Also, as is most clearly seen in FIGURE 5, it is desirable that support members 42 and 44 beoffset laterally with respect to slide members 10 and 12 so that the guide members 26 and 28 will not be in a vertical plane. Such an arrangement permits easier accommodation of the lower ends of the tobacco rack.

The end of the loader which is to join with the trackways of the tobacco curing barn is preferably provided with at least two engagement hooks 30 and 32 which serve to insure attachment and alignment of the loader slide members 10, 12, 14 and 16 with trackways in the interior of the barn. Hooks 30 and 32 may engage pins'or equivalent means (not shown) on the barn. Guide plates 34 and 36-can also aid in this respect.

It is thus seen that a loaded tobacco rack may be initially advanced up the slide bars by applying a force in a direction parallel to portions 13a and 10b of slide member 10. When the rack R approaches the upper end of the upwardly curved portions 10b and 12, a choice can be made as to whether to continue to elevate the rack to the slide members 14and 16 or to tilt the back end of the rack upwardly so that it will slide upon slide members 10 and 12, level of horizontal portions 14b and 1612 or that of horizontal portions 1% and 12b. FIGURES 3 and 4 illustrate these alternatives.

FIGURE 5 illustrates how the end or lateral flanges of the rack cooperate with and fit between these slide members 10 and 14 when the choice of FIGURE 3 is taken.. This view also illustrates that flange 18 is laterally displaced from the slide members 10 and 14 sutficiently to allow the rack end flange 11 to pass over slide member 10 and under slide member 14 without interference from flange 18.

When the loading device of this invention is properly engaged with the trackways of a tobacco barn by means of hooks 3'0 and 32 the passage of a rack from either slide members 10 and 12 or slide members 14 and 16 will bring the rack to rest on tracks or runners aligned along the interior of the barn. Thus a plurality of racks may be lifted by the loading device to both levels until the barn is filled with loaded racks. The loading device may then be disengaged and removed.

While an embodiment of the invention has been described which has been found to be advantageous, it is recognized that structural modifications might be advantageously employed. For example, one or more levels might be added if needed. Also, only one level of slides might be employed. Thus the invention should not be limited by the above structural details but should be con-.

F sidered to encompass the full scope of embodiments falling within the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for facilitating the transfer and loading of heavy racks of packed tobacco leaves into a bulk tobacco curing barn which comprises in combination:

(a) a first pair of elongated slide members,

(b) each elongated slide member of said first pair consisting of front, back and intermediate sections,

(0) the front section of each elongated slide member of said first pair being higher above the ground than the back section, and the intermediate section being inclined so as to interconnect the front and back section of each slide member,

(d) said first pair of elongated slide members being laterally spaced with respect to each other by lateral spacing means so as to accommodate the maximum dimension of said heavy racks,

(e) a second pair of slide members of lesser length than said first pair of elongated slide members, but being positioned in the same vertical planes as the slide members of said first pair,

(f) vertical interconnecting members for substantially rigidly interconnecting those slide members Which are in the same vertical planes,

(g) the rear or lower ends of said second pair of slide members terminating adjacent the intermediate section of said first pair of slide members,

(h) means for spacing the back ends of said second pair of slide members a sufficient distance away from, but sufiiciently close to the slide member of the first pair immediately below it so that by applying a slight tilting action to a loaded tobacco rack, the tobacco rack can be siidably transferred from said first pair of slide members to said second pair of slide members,

(i) the front ends of said first pair of slide members being spaced away from the front ends of said second pair of slide members a distance corresponding to the distance between the vertically spaced upper and lower trackways in the curing barn which is to receive heavy racks of packed tobacco leaves,

(j) cross-over interconnecting members which interconnect the vertically aligned sets of slide members,

(k) ground support means for maintaining the first pair of elongated slide members the desired distance above the ground,

(1) whereby when heavy racks of packed tobacco leaves are placed between the back ends of said first pair of elongated slide members, with the ends of said rack being supported by said first pair of elongated slide members, the rack may be easily slid forward onto either the upper or lower trackway of a curing barn by appropriate tilting of the rack during its forward sliding movement, 4

2. A device according to claim 1 which additionally contains means for attaching the front ends of said slide members to trackways located on the interior of a barn so as to provide a substantially continuous trackway.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said ground support means includes wheels.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said slide members comprise angle irons.

5. A device for facilitating the transfer and loading of heavy racks of packed tobacco leaves into a bulk tobacco curing barn which comprises in combination:

(a) a pair of generally parallel elongated slide members,

(h) each elongated slide member consisting of front,

back and intermediate sections,

(c) the front section of each elongated slide member being higher above the ground than the back section, and the intermediate section being inclined so as to interconnect the front and back section of each slide member,

(d) said elongated slide members being laterally spaced apart with respect to each other by lateral spacing means comprising generally U-shaped members which have generally vertical and parallel legs that are connected exterierly of said slide members, the closed end of each said U-shaped member being positioned at a spaced distance away from said slide members so as to not impede the movement of said heavy racks, and so as to accommodate the maximum dimensions of said heavy racks,

(e) ground support means for maintaining the back sections of each elongated slide member the desired distance above the ground,

(f whereby when heavy racks of packed tobacco leaves are placed between the back ends of said elongated slide members, with the ends of said rack being supported by said elongated slide members, the rack may be easily slid forward onto a trackway of a curing barn by appropriate forward sliding movement.

6. A device according to claim 5 which additionally contains means for attaching the front ends of said slide members to trackways located on the interior of a barn so as to provide a substantially continuous trackway.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 243,229 6/1881 Duckworth & Kebler 193-41 722,570 3/1903 Dilger l934l 2,742,288 4/1950 Brunel 19338 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

ANDRES H. NEELSEN, HUGO O. SCHULZ, Examiners. 

1. A DEVICE FOR FACILITATING THE TRANSFER AND LOADING OF HEAVY RACKS OF PACKED TOBACCO LEAVES INTO A BULK TOBACCO CURING BARN WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION: (A) A FIRST PAIR OF ELONGATED SLIDE MEMBERS, (B) EACH ELONGATED SLIDE MEMBER OF SAID FIRST PAIR CONSISTING OF FRONT, BACK AND INTERMEDIATE SECTIONS, (C) THE FRONT SECTION OF EACH ELONGATED SLIDE MEMBER OF SAID FIRST PAIR BEING HIGHER ABOVE THE GROUND THAN THE BACK SECTION, AND THE INTERMEDIATE SECTION BEING INCLINED SO AS TO INTERCONNECT THE FRONT AND BACK SECTION OF EACH SLIDE MEMBER, (D) SAID FIRST PAIR OF ELONGATED SLIDE MEMBERS BEING LATERALLY SPACED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER BY LATERAL SPACING MEANS SO AS TO ACCOMMODATE THE MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS OF SAID HEAVY RACKS, (E) A SECOND PAIR OF SLIDE MEMBERS OF LESSER LENGTH THAN SAID FIRST PAIR OF ELONGATED SLIDE MEMBERS, BUT BEING POSITIONED IN THE SAME VERTICAL PLANES AS THE SLIDE MEMBERS OF SAID FIRST PAIR, (F) VERTICAL INTERCONNECTING MEMBERS FOR SUBSTANTIALLY RIGIDLY INTERCONNECTING THOSE SLIDE MEMBERS WHICH ARE IN THE SAME VERTICAL PLANES, (G) THE REAR OR LOWER ENDS OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF SLIDE MEMBERS TERMINATING ADJACENT THE INTERMEDIATE SECTION OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF SLIDE MEMBERS, (H) MEANS FOR SPACING THE BACK ENDS OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF SLIDE MEMBERS A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE AWAY FROM, BUT 